About

I’m an illustrator, graphic designer and home cook who spends most nights in the kitchen trying to feed two fussy children. The Vegie Smugglers blog and cookbooks are my labour of love aimed at helping all of you out there in the same situation.

The more I learn about modern nutrition, the more confused I get as I read convincing arguments for various (and conflicting) diet philosophies. Unable to choose a single path through the nutritional jungle, this blog follows a policy of extreme moderation and common sense – eat a wide variety of foods that make you feel great and that suit the circumstances of your household.

The one area that all sides of the food debate agrees on is that processed food is bad, cooking from base ingredients is good and vegetables are the best source of nutrients per calorie. And less than 1 in 5 of us eat enough of them. And while that statistic is so low, the entire flour/sugar/meat/soy/raw/carbs/dairy debate seems pretty irrelevant. This site focuses on feeding our kids the best range of vegetables and fruits possible via a wide range of recipes that cover the entire food gammut. My most important requirement is that all my recipes are DELICIOUS, since we’re feeding our souls and senses, too.

You can now buy copies of the Vegie Smugglers cookbooks and ebooks through this website.
Email vegiesmugglers@gmail.com if you would like info about selling copies as a fundraising program through your school or daycare centre.

Please note that all recipes, craft PDFS and images on this site are my copyright, unless stated. ‘Vegie Smugglers’ is trademarked. If you ARE going to steal from this site, please be kind enough to credit me and provide a link. It’s just good web etiquette really…

Here’s quick round up of Vegie Smugglers in the media…

In the Daily Telegraph.

ARTICLES
• Vegie Smugglers was in the Daily Telegraph Taste Supplement on November 30, 2010.
• The December issue of Australian Family had a lovely full page article, recipe extract and review.
• Super Food Ideas featured Vegie Smugglers in their February 2011 issue.
• The Healthy Food Guide ran an excerpt in their February ‘back to school’ issue, 2011.
• I’m the Practical Parenting magazine, mumpreneur! A lovely full page article, April 2011.
• The Healthy Food Guide ran more recipes in their Kid’s nutrition special, June 2011.
• The West Australian ran a story & recipe, June 2011.
• Australian parents ran a story in their Summer 2011/12 edition.
• Healthy food guide ran a large extract from Vegie Smugglers 2 in February 2012.
• The Manly Daily said nice stuff in March 2012.
• I had a fantastic extract in Practical Parenting, June 2012.
• You can now catch a recipe of mine each month in the Healthy Food Guide – from July 2012.

Claire Edwards said,

Kelly Phuah said,

thank you for this lovely book! I have just been in Sydney and Mum gave me the copy you left. I have 2 boys, one will eat anything and the other would eat cheese sandwiches for breakfast lunch and dinner if I let him. He has been sent from Mars and tests my parenting skills every day. The pictures are great, the freezing and storage tips are handy and the morning prep plans are right on my wavelength.

James Cottam said,

Mel Leeder said,

What a fantastic book you have created Wendy!Very easy to follow recipes, not too time consuming or in need of a huge amount of ingredients. Good Nutrition is so important for children and their behaviour- this book will help many parents provide nutritious and TASTY food that kids will eat! I wish you all the best with your book and will be showing all my friends. Great to see an Aussie Mum doing such a great job!

celine said,

Hi Wendy, Just landed on your site and I LOVE it, your blog is brilliant-bringing-tears- to-the-eyes-funny!
as the mother of a 3 1/2 y/old curry fanatic son (great but can get bor-ing) and a very picky 2 1/2 year old girl who most nights literally shudders at anything that is put in front of her, the recipes are just what I’m looking for…. Thank You! am going to try your vegie drops tonight and no doubt will be putting in my order for your book soon. Keep those recipes coming, there is a huge need for easy nutritious food recipes! All the best with your book!

Carmen said,

Hi Wendy.
I am liking the look of your website and am interested to have a look at your recipe book.
I have an incrediably difficult & texture sensitive 6yr old to feed who will eat anything that is not good for her & an 8yr old who is anaphylactic to eggs and nuts. (Not to mention a husband who doesn’t eat anything green other than peas!) So cooking something that the whole family will eat is nearly impossible (there are only so many bolognaise bakes that one woman can handle!!). Is there an outlet in Hobart that stocks your book?
Cheers, Carmen.

Justine Semple said,

Have just received your book in the mail and holy smokes !!!! What a great book – I have four kids under 7 and ANY tricks (or tips) are always welcome. Love that it is all your work !! Much respect for that !!! Love your recipes and that they are able to be tweaked for grown up taste buds as well ! Great work and cant wait for the second edition to come out (hint…hint!). PS. Grating mushrooms makes them melt into anything (none of my kids have been able to detect them)…. Justine

Hi Wendy
A recent visit to Bobby at Splinters in Pokolbin, and she introduced my husband and I to your book. I’ve ordered a couple of cookbooks for kids from Amazon, and been really disappointed, however, yours is brilliant. Like all Mums, even though I gave up work to stay at home with the kids, we still have a very busy life, and sometimes trying to think of food for dinner is a mission, I feel like I always cook versions of the same dish! My two kids are chalk and cheese, so I’m looking forward to trying some new things. I’m totally up for morning prep, so thanks for the new ideas, can’t wait to get stuck into them.
Geoff and Michelle

Hi Michelle, Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and give me such positive feedback – I’m hugely appreciative. Hope the book works well for your household – let me know which recipes are popular. Make sure you spread the VS word amongst friends with kids. There’s second book arriving in October, and a lunchbox e-book planner too!

vanessa caltabiano said,

Hello- need tips for Autistic 6yo boy- has sensory issues so food has to be WHITE- only eats hot chips from KFC, White pasta with parmasen cheese, white rice, mashed potato- new fav is hotdogs and sausage rolls- got that from school canteen. Only vegie he eats is tomatoes and mash potato..
Been seeing dietitian for many years now & all we can do is offer supplements to help him grow. Love him to bits but he does my head in over food- smaller sister now copying his “that is disgusting” phrase- and they have not even touched it- LOL
I miss those days when he used to eat everything as a baby-toddler……. Hopeing your book-website can offer me something he will like….. Vanessa

Vanessa, try my vegie mash (but peel the zucchini first to avoid green flecks), or cheesy pots. Both these would work with the addition of poached chicken (either chopped finely or pureed, depending of his texture preferences). Or if you can combine rice and tomatos, try the baked tomato rice.
If he eats bread you could try savoury muffins or pikelets? And make my chicken and lentil sausage rolls. Good luck! Xx

Tony said,

Mel said,

hi
been following you for a while now and you know what i like most about your site & FB? It isn’t that you crusade healthy eating for fussy kids, but I like that you are just so authentic! It is really refreshing!
Keep up the great work!
Mel

Thanks Mel. I really appreciate it when people take the time to send positive feedback – funny how haters are often much more vocal LOL! Keep enjoying the site and make sure you let all your friends know about it too. xx

Jenness said,

Hi Wendy, I had to tell you we love your Vegie smugglers in our house! I’ve gone through a number of recipes and love them. I’ve recommended them to my friends and family. My sister in particular, was so excited after having a look at my cookbook she wants one now. Thanks again
.

Lyndy said,

I have stumbled across your book on-line and have found your website. My 20month old son ‘hates’ to eat any vegetables or fruit despite how much I try :(. I can sneak them into some meals if they are chopped finely enough, however, am always looking for more inspiration such as your books promise to deliver.

Unfortunately, my son is intolerant to dairy (he can have soy so I can substitute most things expect for cheese) so I thought it best to ask you how many of your recipes contain cheese/ cheese products? An approximate is fine… I just don’t want to purchase another cookbook to find out that most of the recipes rely heavily on cheese!

Being lactose intolerant myself, and being sensitive to all of the various food issues that people have, I’ve tried to fill my books with a wide range of recipes so that there’s something for everyone. As you say, substituting and omitting will get you through a bunch of recipes, but there will always be 4-5 that you’ll just have to miss out on. I do find substituting soy milk in most things works well. The soy cheese and yoghurt is also ok, but yes, cheddar cheese can still be an issue. In our house, I’ll make a canneloni with a dairy-free corner, or cute individual serves of things, so that I can keep some clear but let everyone else enjoy as much lactose as they like. Another good idea is to freeze a bunch of single portions of meals that your son likes and just reheat something for him on the odd nights that the rest of you want to eat differently.

Wendy, so fun to find your delightful blog and book! I’ve heard many parents wish for a book such as yours… any chance you’ll be selling them in the US? If so, I’d love to post you to my FB page. I’m a personal chef and culinary instructor in Seattle, WA and also write a little food blog. Thanks so much Wendy! Karista

Hi karista thanks so much for stopping by. At this stage I’ve no plans to distribute my books in the us. But folks from overseas can by my ebook with lunchbox recipes and I’m working on a digital edition of some dinner recipes which I hope to have finished later this year. I’ll come check out your blog too!

At your time of purchase an automatic email would have been sent to you with download links for the books. Those links are valid for 3 days. Email me and I’ll renew your links for them – thanks for your purchase! Wendy x vegiesmugglers@gmail.com

Selma said,

Thanks for your quick response Wendy. I just found the mail (my neat freak husband had filed them away before I had a chance to read them!).
I have just downloaded them now.
Thanks again. Love your website, blog and books!
Selma.

Laura said,

Hi,
I really would love to buy your books, My child is extermly fussy! Except, he is allergic to egg and the recipes i have seen on this website mostly include egg. Is there something else you can suggest for us to use? I think these books would be great for us!
Thank you!

Debbie said,

I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your honesty!! So often I judge my thoughts or feelings…and always doubt my parenting..but reading your posts just makes me smile and reminds me that there are other mums out there…just like me!

Fleon said,

Hi Wendy. Big fan of your work. I have a 2-year old who used to eat everything (including possum turds) and now eats only rice, and a 10-month-old who, until recently, cried in the high chair, spitting out everything, until I relented and gave her a breastfeed. Your books and ideas are great, but your sense of humour is sensational. Keep it up!

Nicole grace said,

HI Wendy, I purchased your thermomix ebook on the 13th February and paid via paypal but I do not know how to download the book. I have received a confirmation email to say the payment has been made but have not found the link to the book. Can you please help.
Thanks
Nicole

Firstly I’d like to say how much joy you bring to the food being eaten in our house! I love your blog and newsletter and the cookbooks I was given as a gift are well used now!
I have one big question though….what ideas do you have for a 2.5 year old (going on 10!) that refuses FRUIT! She is a star at all other eating, will eat any veg I give her (as long as it looks like it should…. Not happy with mushy things lol), pasta, meat, everything! but no matter how hard I try she’s off fruit!
My 4 year old on the other hand eats heaps of fruit, he asks for it for snacks and I give them both lunch boxes for kindy jam packed full of goodness and fruit and they have fruit salad on days at home with me…. She just won’t touch it or even try it! It’s driving me nuts :-) I’ve tried apple crumble but she will only eat the crumble….. And even picks out the fruit in yoghurt!

I’d love and really appreciate any recommendations or help or referrals to one of your books I don’t know about yet that talks about smuggling fruit!
Thanks again for your lovely posts and all of your great recipes!
Rebecca

Or you can make purees with gelatine for jelly, too. Generally fruit isn’t such a problem, especially if your child eats vegies. Cucumber and carrot make for great lunchbox additions. She won’t be missing anything nutritionally, so just relax and continue giving her a wide range to choose from.

I have chapters for fruit in both the cookbooks, possibly the recipes in book 1 are a little heathier.

Oh you are a legend! I have soooo many frozen bananas in my freezer and been wondering what to do with them and this recipe looks amazing – ill def be making tomorrow night :-) I’ve made the ice locks before, but not for a while so will try again,
Thanks for comfort on the veg vs fruit debate, I did wonder if I was being overly worried but would like to at least get some fruit into her!
Thanks so much again for your wonderful posts, recipes and hilarious insights, I love getting your updates and share them with all my friends…. And we have started many a great conversation off with some of your topics :-)
Thanks again
Rebecca

natalie said,

Hi – just wondering if you could recommend what I should purchase from your range. I have a very fussy 6 year old who has never really eaten vegetables because she just refuses to. It’s always been a nightmare and really stressful as we have tried so many times to get her to eat her veges. She won’t even eat cucumber or tomato. She actually wretches with raw carrot sticks. I think it’s more of mind over matter with her, but she is ridiculously fussy. Could you please advise?
I live in Auckland, NZ so happy to purchase your e-books.
Many thanks.

Since you’re overseas, I’d start with a digital copy of Vegie Smugglers 2. It has a good bit on making change in the family and lots of basic recipes as well as some more complex flavours.

Just remember to start of with meals that utilise things she DOES eat. So if she likes cheese, start with cheesy quesadillas or if she likes pasta, give her a dipping sauce on the side. And remember to RELAX. I know it’s hard, but it’s a key to happy mealtimes. good luck! x

Gina J said,

Hi Wendy. I am interested in purchasing some of your e books however I wanted to check first if they are compatible with Android devices? It specifically mentions ipad so I wanted to check before I go ahead with the transaction.